Article
An Exactly Soluble Fresnel Diffraction Model of Two-Slit Interference
American Journal of Physics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-1996
Disciplines
Abstract
Using the formalism of Fresnel diffraction, we examine the diffraction and interference of two initially widely separated parallel Gaussian light beams. This two-beam configuration is a version of Young's two-slit interference problem that is free of the mathematical complexity that occurs in most Fresnel diffraction calculations. As a result, it clearly and simply illustrates the transition from ray optics to wave interference. (C) 1996 American Association of Physics Teachers.
DOI
10.1119/1.18375
Version
Postprint
Publisher's Statement
Copyright 1996 American Association of Physics Teachers. The article appeared in American Journal of Physics 64 (1996): 1307-1311 and may be found at http://aapt.scitation.org/doi/pdf/10.1119/1.18375
Citation Information
Lock, James A. "An Exactly Soluble Fresnel Diffraction Model of Two-Slit Interference." American Journal of Physics 64 (1996): 1307-1311.